At School of Engineering, students in the Digital Life Sciences (DLS) major develop exactly this skill in the Project Lab Storytelling module. Working with real-world datasets, they learn how to transform complex information into clear, accurate, and engaging visualizations adapted to different audiences.
The first part of the course focuses on the complete data visualization workflow. Students begin by cleaning and exploring raw datasets before learning how to communicate their findings effectively through visual design.
They discover how to select the most appropriate chart, use colours responsibly, represent uncertainty transparently, and create figures that are both scientifically accurate and easy to understand. The objective is not only to present data, but to tell a clear and meaningful story while preserving scientific rigor.
To put these concepts into practice, students complete a final project in which they design interactive dashboards.
One of the main challenges is communicating the same information to two very different audiences: specialists looking for detailed analyses and non-experts interested in the key messages. Learning to adapt the level of detail without compromising scientific accuracy is an essential skill for today’s engineers and data scientists.
Rather than creating static figures, students build interactive tools that allow users to explore data according to their own needs, making complex information more accessible and easier to interpret.
The module also benefits from the expertise of guest lecturers from the Haute École Arc (HE-ARC) and the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB).
Their sessions focus on one of the most important challenges in science today: communicating complex scientific results clearly and effectively. By sharing their professional experience, they provide students with valuable insights into how data storytelling is applied in research and industry.
Among the projects developed during the course, one interactive dashboard explores a topic particularly relevant to the students’ future careers: the impact of artificial intelligence on employment.
The dashboard illustrates how data visualization can help transform complex datasets into accessible insights and support informed discussions on emerging technological trends.
You can explore the dashboard here: dls.hevs.ch/open/aidashboard
As artificial intelligence and data science become increasingly important across the life sciences, the ability to communicate results effectively is becoming just as valuable as the ability to generate them.
Through modules such as Project Lab Storytelling, the Digital Life Sciences major prepares students not only to analyze biological data, but also to transform it into meaningful insights that support research, innovation, and decision-making.
To learn more about the Digital Life Sciences major within the Life Sciences Engineering Bachelor program, explore the study plan here.